1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to grooming devices for animals. The grooming devices of the present invention is particularly useful in connection with pet cats, although its use in connection with other animals is anticipated. The present invention also relates to appliances useful for the enjoyment and exercise of pets and other domesticated animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The prior art is basically directed to two types of grooming devices. One type of grooming device is used by animals and may be identified as "walk-through" devices. These are devices that the animal may walk or crawl through and rake or brush itself and/or scratch itself during walk-through process. Examples of "walk-through" animal use devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,568,226; 1,582,144; 2,865,329; 2,976,841; and 4,301,766, for example. A second type of grooming device is used on animals and may be identified as "man used" devices. The "man used" devices generally include grooming or cleaning devices such as brushes or combs and are used on animals by humans for grooming and/or cleaning purposes. Examples of devices used by humans on animals may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 676,358; 2,660,183; 2,865,039; 2,881,460; and 3,059,259, for example.
The "walk-through" animal use devices although useful in the grooming of the coat of an animal is generally bulky and often needs to be adjusted to fit the animal which is going to use the device, especially when a "walk-through" animal use device is used in geographic areas which have extremes in weather conditions and the coat of the animal, which is going to use the device, thickens and/or thins, with the change in seasonal temperatures. Man-used devices, such as brushes, combs and curry-combs are extremely useful in final grooming but time and attention are required by a person to use these devices on animals as these devices can not be left for use by the animal itself.